COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A month full of confusion and logistical changes continued Tuesday, when the Rams learned that their Monday night game against Kansas City, scheduled for Mexico City, had been moved to the Coliseum.

The NFL cited concerns about player safety when it announced the relocation of a highly anticipated game between two of its showcase teams, one that had been part of the league’s annual international series. The game will remain on Monday at 5 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN and ABC.

League officials and field-turf specialists inspected the field at Estadio Azteca this week and concluded that it “does not meet NFL standards for playability and consistency and will not meet those standards by next Monday,” according to a league news release. The stadium turf, a blend of natural grass and synthetic material, had been compromised by recent poor weather and numerous events at the stadium.

“Hats off to the league for doing the right thing,” Rams left tackle and team captain Andrew Whitworth said in an interview on SiriusXM radio.

In a released statement, Mark Waller, the NFL’s Executive Vice President of International, said damage to the turf “presents unnecessary risks to player safety and makes it unsuitable to host an NFL game.”

“We have worked extensively with our partners at Estadio Azteca for months in preparation for this game,” Waller said. “Until very recently, we had no major concerns.”

The Rams flew to Colorado Springs on Monday for a week of what they planned to be altitude-training practice, in advance of the trip to Mexico City. The team will remain in Colorado through the end of the week, and the Rams will regain the home game they would have lost as “hosts” of the international game.

Over the previous 24 hours, photos emerged that appeared to show the Estadio Azteca field in very poor condition. A television crew posted footage of stadium workers laying down new sod over the damaged turf Tuesday. ESPN reported that several Rams and Chiefs players had threatened to skip the game.

“The decision was strictly an NFL call,” Rams chief executive officer Kevin Demoff said via text message. “We all were focused on player safety and making sure the right decision was made to protect our players.”

The Coliseum now will host what is arguably the biggest game of the NFL season, and the Rams quickly decided to do some outreach. The team said it will donate “thousands” of tickets to first responders and people who were impacted both by recent wildfires and last week’s mass shooting in Thousand Oaks.

“I have to say it has been a crazy week for (the) Rams and Cali,” lineman Rodger Saffold said in a social media post. “All I can say is, as we continue to see adversity and challenges, keep sticking together. It (stinks) for Mexico City and we’re still rebuilding our lives from shootings and fires. Just remember the power of uniting together.”

Rams season-ticket holders have until Thursday at 5 p.m. to enter their online accounts and buy their regular seats. On Wednesday, season-ticket holders will have the chance to purchase up to four additional tickets. Tickets will publicly go on sale, at therams.com, on Wednesday at 1 p.m. PT.

Even though the Coliseum had not planned to host the game, the league mandated that the Rams keep their home stadium available on Nov. 19, in case of an emergency such as this one.

“We are grateful to USC and the Coliseum,” Demoff said, “for working with us to make this night a terrific opportunity for our fans and give our city a chance to honor our first responders.”

The Rams are trying to remain as normal as possible in football matters. They decided not to return home Tuesday and are scheduled to hold practices on Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Colorado Springs.

Further complicating matters is the fact that several Rams players and coaches had been evacuated from their homes because of the fires. The Rams chartered a second flight to Colorado for family members,

“Our organizational focus, from (team owner) Mr. (Stan) Kroenke to Coach (Sean) McVay, is to give our players the best ability to prepare for Monday,” Demoff said. “This will allow them to prepare with a clear mind knowing they and their families are safe.”

The Chiefs had been scheduled to practice at their regular facility in Kansas City, so the only impact on them should be a change in flight plans, plus having to secure some hotel rooms in Los Angeles.

The game figures to be a good one, between two 9-1 teams that have outstanding offenses. The Rams played a Thursday night game against Minnesota this season, but this will be the first Monday night game at the Coliseum since Oct. 28, 1985, when the Raiders hosted the San Diego Chargers. It will be the Rams’ first Monday night game at the Coliseum since Nov. 19, 1979 against Atlanta.

The Rams won’t mind the extra support.

“It really doesn’t change our plan,” Whitworth said in the radio interview. “Our plan is to come here (to Colorado Springs) and work and get some good work in the altitude. We’re going to work just like we were going to Mexico City. It’s just that we’re going to get the opportunity to go home instead.”

Rich Hammond was a high school senior when the Rams left town in 1995, and now he's their beat writer for the Southern California News Group. A native of L.A., Rich broke in at the Daily Breeze as a college freshman and also has covered USC, the Kings, the Lakers and the Dodgers. He still loves sports and telling stories. Don't take the sarcastic tweets too seriously.